Scoop: Elon Musk joined Trump's call with Zelensky
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Elon Musk (L) with President-elect Trump and Sen. JD Vance in Pennsylvania. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Donald Trump's phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday included two surprises: Elon Musk was also on the line, and Zelensky was somewhat reassured by what he heard from the president-elect, two sources with knowledge of the call tell Axios.
Why it matters: The new details of the call underscore how influential Musk could be in the second Trump administration, and the uncertainty over how exactly Trump will approach Ukraine.
Between the lines: Trump's public messages throughout the election campaign — promising a quick resolution to the war, declining to say which side he wanted to win and criticizing the massive aid packages flowing from Washington — raised alarm bells in Kyiv and throughout Europe.
- The Biden administration is now looking for ways to get as much military assistance as possible to Ukraine ahead of Jan. 20, when Trump could turn off the spigot.
- But the private conversations Trump and his team have had with Zelensky and his advisers over the last two months — including on Wednesday — were somewhat more reassuring to the Ukrainians, the sources say.
- Zelensky himself felt the fact that the call happened so soon after Trump was declared the winner was a positive sign, one of the sources told Axios. Trump has yet to speak with Vladimir Putin since the election, but the Russian president said he will pick up if Trump calls.
Behind the scenes: The call between Trump and Zelensky lasted around 25 minutes, according to the sources who were briefed on its details.
- After Zelensky congratulated Trump, the president-elect said he will support Ukraine, but didn't go into details.
- Three sources briefed on the call all told Axios that Zelensky felt the call went well and that it did not increase his anxiety about Trump's victory. One source said it "didn't leave Zelensky with a feeling of despair."
- Musk also weighed in during the call to say he will continue supporting Ukraine through his Starlink satellites, the sources said. Musk did not respond to a request for comment.
Reality check: Much went unsaid, and much remains unknown. Trump and Zelensky did not delve into policies like Trump's purported plan to end the war, or the prospect of further U.S. aid, the sources said.
Flashback: Zelensky met Trump in September in New York, at which time they discussed the war with Russia and a possible diplomatic path for ending it.
- According to three sources with knowledge of that meeting, Trump told Zelensky he would not abandon Ukraine, but wants to give diplomacy a chance.
- "I promise you will be happy with me," Trump told Zelensky during that meeting, according to a source with knowledge. The Trump campaign declined to comment on Wednesday's call or the previous meeting.
- In attendance at that meeting was former U.S. ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, a possible Trump pick for secretary of state or another senior post. Grenell is expected to play a leading role in any Ukraine diplomacy.
- Since the meeting in New York, Zelensky's advisers have kept an open channel of communication with Trump's aides. Trump told Zelensky Wednesday that they would continue the conversations after he assembles his foreign policy team.
What they're saying:
"Nothing of what Zelensky and his aides heard from Trump and his team in private has been alarming or made us feel that Ukraine is going to be the one who pays the price."— Source familiar with the conversations
"I had an excellent call with President Trump and congratulated him on his historic landslide victory — his tremendous campaign made this result possible," Zelensky wrote on X after the call on Wednesday.
- "Strong and unwavering U.S. leadership is vital for the world and for a just peace," Zelensky said, adding that he and Trump agreed to maintain close dialogue.
- Yes, but: In a speech in Budapest on Thursday, Zelensky made clear that despite his positive call with Trump, he "cannot yet know what his actions will be."
The big picture: During the campaign, Trump repeatedly said he would immediately push for Ukraine-Russia peace talks if elected, and even claimed he could get a deal within 24 hours.
- On Thursday in Budapest, Zelensky acknowledged that Trump wants to end the war quickly but stressed they did not discuss that in detail during the call.
- "If it's just fast, it means losses for Ukraine. I just don't yet understand how this could be in any other way. Maybe we do not know something, do not see," Zelensky said.
- He stressed Ukraine wants "a fair end to the war" that includes security guarantees.
The intrigue: Musk also joined Trump's call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who told reporters that Musk and Trump had been having dinner together at the time.
What to watch: Even though they're wary of potential peace talks, the Ukrainians see some upside in breaking with the current "negative status-quo," one source briefed on government deliberations said.
- Three sources with knowledge of Ukrainian government assessments said that Kyiv expects that if peace talks do take place, they will agree to participate but Putin will either reject the talks or take steps that doom them to failure.
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